Iran’s state-run channel, Press TV, released a video report on the trend of nearly 3,500 women registered for ninjutsu classes.

Max Fisher, of The Atlantic, wrote, “They are considered inferior to men in almost all legal matters, especially family laws such as marriage or child custody, and their testimony is officially equal to half of a man's. Clothing restrictions and fierce segregation laws marginalize women in the public sector, making participation in society arduous and painful. Those who try anyway are often singled out for harassment and punishment.”

President Ahmedinejad’s reign has been especially brutal for Iranian women, as the Daily Beast reported in 2009 about how his conservative government circulated propaganda telling women of their proper place: home. “Universities capped the number of female students admitted. In 2005, the regime launched a “culture of modesty” campaign aimed at enforcing stricter veiling.”

Female sports teams are underfunded and often harrassed, and when Iranian women qualified for the Olympics in 2007, they were warned of severe punishment if they did not follow Islamic rules while competing, said The Atlantic.

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